Halloween 2016
by 4MeJasper
Summary: It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course. October means cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night. And in my world, Jasper looking for his Bella. I love this time of year. So here we go. A series of shorts where Jasper and Bella meet in late October, close to the witching hour.
1. AG Chapter 1 - Reflections on Mortality

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween!

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

AMAZING GRACE

Chapter 1 – Reflections on Mortality and Being Wet

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…"

Well, the sounds were supposed to be sweet. Bella's voice wasn't meant for giving glory to God, apparently. She got another dirty look from the ever-so-perfect Mrs. Mallory, Lauren's mother, who was sitting in the pew in front of her. So Bella couldn't carry a tune.

Just another thing she couldn't right in the eyes of this town. The funeral service went on as Bella sat alone at the end of the aisle in the small Calvary Chapel Church.

She sighed with relief when it was over, flowing out the door with the rest of the group. Mort had lived in Forks all his life and worked at the TruValue Hardware Store for forty years, so a large group had come to pay their final respects. They gathered in the parking lot, waiting to follow the hearse to the cemetery.

She saw Mrs. Mallory glancing at her skirt and boots. Mort Jacobson's funeral. Couldn't they just let her be? Mrs. Mallory was from Southern California. She kept herself looking SoCal perfect, going into Seattle for her haircuts, manicures, and clothes. She didn't seem to want any of the small town look rubbing off on herself.

The other people at the funeral smiled at her occasionally but didn't make any gestures to invite her to join them. She knew that to long-time Forks residents, she was the daughter of the chief of police's flaky wife. She had to earn their trust. Which meant that Bella was currently stuck between the small town provincialism and the hypocrisy of transplants who made a point of not blending in. At least in Phoenix she had been invisible. Not here. Everyone seemed to see her, and almost everyone seemed to have some kind of a problem with her, except for the guys who wanted to ask her out.

Bella shuffled her feet and wondered why she was here. Mort was a nice old man, but old men die. That's what everyone does. Can't avoid it. Bella shook her head at that thought. It wasn't charitable. Just because the Mallory's were snots didn't mean she should think like that. This town, it was caging her in. She needed to get out.

She shivered as the wind blew through her sweater. A lazy wind, too lazy to go around so it went through. She hugged her arms to herself and peered at the sky. A lifeless sun peered through a break in the clouds. Her truck wasn't working again, and she didn't feel like hitching a ride with anyone. She edged away from the crowd and out onto the grassy border that passed for a sidewalk in this town and started the walk home. God, they didn't even have sidewalks here.

Maybe the rain would hold until she made it home.

The few drops the breeze spattered against her face warned her this was not her lucky day. The downpour hit before she made it more than a few hundred yards. Result: she would be soaked by the time she reached the front door.

Bella grimaced when she spotted Charlie's patrol car in front of the house. _Shit._ He hated seeing her wet. Maybe she could sneak in…

No luck. He was at the dining room table, cleaning his gun. She had put leftovers in the fridge for him and an empty plate was next to the gun. "Hi, Dad," she said.

"Hey, Bella." He glanced her over then peered out the window. "That happen from the truck to the door?"

She shook herself off, pulled off her shoes and reached for a dish towel to dry her hands and face. "Truck's at Dowling's for repairs."

"Oh," he said, looking back down at this gun.

She waited for it. "Something Jake couldn't fix?" he asked.

"Jake's got mono," she replied.

"Right," Charlie said, moving his too perceptive gaze from her face back to his weapon. "Billy said something about him not feeling well. I hope he gets better."

So did she. Jake was her little ray of sunshine in this gloomy town. Sure he was younger than she was, and had a puppy-love crush on her that he made no effort to hide, but he was good company.

The dish towel was soaked so she headed for the bathroom upstairs for something a bit larger.

"I can give you a ride to school tomorrow if you like," he called after her.

"That would make you late," Bella said, a bit too quickly. "I'm going to call Angela for a lift to school."

Once in the bathroom, she ripped off her soaking clothes. She felt awkward in skirts. She had worn boots to hide the fact that she didn't have the right shows to wear with a skirt. Once she had switched to sweats, she came back to the kitchen.

"You were dressed up," he commented.

So he noticed she had been wearing her wool skirt. It was the only one good outfit she had and it itched when it was wet.

"Went to Mr. Jacobson's funeral," she said.

Charlie nodded. "He was a good man. I wish I had been able to get away, but there was an accident down on the 101 by Ruby Beach. Nasty."

"Anybody hurt?"

"Unfortunately, yes," he replied. "Couple of kids on motorcycles."

"Sorry," Bella said. She knew from the look on his face and his constant lectures that kids and motorcycles didn't mix. "Anybody from town?"

"No, they were from Port Angeles. Met the new doctor when I went to the hospital to finish my reports," Charlie said.

Bella smiled. A new doctor would probably be someone she would get to know pretty well, given her luck.

"He's really something," Charlie said.

"Is he different? Sporting tattoos or something?" Bella asked.

Charlie pushed his plate away and Bella took it to the sink automatically.

"Really good looking," Charlie said. "Very professional and soft-spoken."

"Hm," Bella replied, distracted. The truth was, she couldn't stop thinking about Jake being sick. It was so weird. He was never sick.

There was something else going on, too. Something she couldn't understand. Billy wouldn't take him to the Forks Community Hospital. At least there, she could have visited him. With her truck down, the only option was taking the bus out to Billy's on the reservation and that really wasn't an option. Bus service wasn't very reliable in the area. Of course, Charlie would take her anywhere, anywhere she wouldn't mind being seen in a cop car. Which, of course, was nowhere.

She was stuck in the house.

Bella sat on her bed, absent-mindedly stroking the new purple bedspread Charlie bought before she moved back. The lady at the store helped him pick it out, he had told her. His homecoming gifts of the bedspread and truck had touched her. He had really wanted her to be happy in Forks.

She stared out the window into the twilit horizon. The forest was visible across the field opposite the house. Actually, the forest was visible from anywhere in town, though the water streaming down her window partially obstructed her view at the moment. She sighed and shivered, thinking of how cold the rain had been on her walk home. There would be no going out in this rain.

Still, something compelled her to stare.

Was there something out there? Probably just the wind in the trees, but she thought she saw movement in the tree line, a shadow jump from the ground to a branch high up in the tree. An impossible height for a man.

She shook her head. Probably just a trick of the wind and rain.

Finally she gave up staring out the window and went to bed. After tossing and turning most of the night, fell asleep around 4:00 a.m., just in time to get up at 6:00.

Xx

Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile.

Sorry I'm starting a bit late this year. I'm being laid off from my job of twenty years later this month. Hope your October is better than mine.


	2. AG Chapter 2 - Reflections on Life

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween!

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

AMAZING GRACE

Chapter 2 – Reflections on the Awfulness of Life

 _Was there something out there? Probably just the wind in the trees, but she thought she saw movement in the tree line, a shadow jump from the ground to a branch high up in the tree. An impossible height for a man._

 _She shook her head. Probably just a trick of the wind and rain._

 _Finally she gave up staring out the window and went to bed. After tossing and turning most of the night, fell asleep around 4:00 a.m., just in time to get up at 6:00._

The next day, Bella waited for Charlie to leave before walking to school. At least there was a break in the rain long enough to get in the front door of Forks High School. She jammed her stuff into her locker, hearing whispers about the new kids that had been heading for the principal's office. Apparently, she had just missed their walk down the hall. Their arrival had created quite a stir.

When she reached home room, all the talk was about the doctor's family. Bella remembered her first day, almost a year ago. She suspected there had been the same amount of talk about her that first week. Now Eric and Mike were talking about the cars the doctor's kids had parked in the school lot, a shiny silver Volvo and blue mustang, and the girls were talking about how dreamy the guys were. Bella idly wondered If she would have any of them in her classes. The past few weeks, the only topics of conversation had been the football season (the Forks Spartans were not in first place) and the upcoming Halloween parties. The newcomers had pushed both topics of conversation aside.

Lunch was more of the same, except this time, she got to see them. The five siblings had seated themselves at a table a distance away from everyone else. Enthroned themselves would have been a better description. They were good-looking, all of them, and expensively dressed in an understated way. Though very differently complected and built, from dark to blond, petit to huge, they had the same pale skin and shadows under their eyes. Weird. Jessica reported that her mother had heard that they were all adopted, which explained how they didn't look very much alike.

Bella had watched as the siblings had gone through the lunch line together, and though the big guy had turned and smiled at the kid behind him, she noticed that people shrank away from him.

Bella's friends spent part of lunch assigning names to each of the newcomers. Rosalie was the blonde, Alice the petit girl. Emmett was the huge guy who had tried to smile at the guy behind him in line, and Jasper was the blond. Jessica and Tyler weren't quite sure whether the red-head's name was Edward or Arnold. That was discussed for a few minutes until Angela arrived. He had been in one of her classes, and was definitely an Edward.

Bella's eyes felt drawn toward Jasper and at one point he glanced in her direction. His eyes stayed on hers, giving her a disoriented sensation, like the floor had just fallen away and she was falling down into a crevice. Bella felt her heart beating hard, and she stared at her boring lunch, inhaling and exhaling while trying to make sense of her feelings. When the sensation passed and she looked up, Jasper wasn't looking in her direction any longer. He was talking to one of his brothers. The blonde sister was staring straight at Bella though, and the look wasn't friendly.

"Was he looking at you?" Jessica whispered. "Did you meet him?"

"No, I haven't met him." Like anyone who looked like that would have time for her.

When Bella went to Biology lab, she stopped inside the doorway. There was someone at her lab desk. Jasper. An "Excuse me" from an exasperated Lauren, who was standing behind her, brought her back to reality. She moved out of the door and headed her assigned seat, trying to hide her nervousness and excitement with a calm look.

As she crossed the room, she saw Jasper suddenly turn in her direction. The expression on his face was ferocious, his lips twisted into a snarl. For a few seconds, he looked terrifying, but he composed himself before she reached the black-topped lab desk.

She put her books on the edge of the table and sat on her stool, ducking her head while she pretended to be searching for something in her backpack. After a moment she looked back up. He was leaning way from her, looking tense, but managed a, "Hi. My name is Jasper."

She nodded but found herself tongue-tied. He was so good-looking, but what had that fierce look been all about? She thought he was going to tear her apart with his bare hands.

"You're Isabella, the Chief of Police's daughter?" he asked.

"Bella," she said. "How did you know?"

"My father met your father last night in the Emergency Room," he replied. "My father asked for the yearbook so we could get familiar with a few people before our first day. Since my father had met yours, I remembered your photo."

"Oh," she said. Wow. Monosyllables. Way to make an impression. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" she said, though she already could see what was in the kit on the table.

A dead frog. Wonderful.

Today they would be dissecting the amphibian. Bella's hands shook with nervousness. She knew her clumsiness could become an issue when she had a sharp object in her hands. She gamely pulled on one of the pairs of gloves and reached for a scalpel.

"You're nervous?" Jasper asked gently.

"A little," Bella admitted. "Knives and sharp objects… I…well, we don't mix."

Jasper's hand shot over hers, touching the back of her hand as he prevented her from picking up the scalpel. His hand felt cold through her glove.

"You're trembling," he observed. "The procedure upsets you. Do you like animals?"

Sure, that was it. "Yes, and well…"

"Allow me," he said softly.

The kit included a diagram of a frog. As part of the exercise, the students were to label the body parts. She pulled the paper closer to them. "OK. You cut, I'll label," she said.

She looked at the diagram and photographs that had been provided in their kit. She'd dissected a starfish in her biology class in Phoenix. That hadn't been too bad, as it was so alien from a land animal. This frog though. It was a bit disturbing. She heard a squeal from the next table. Mike had popped out an eyeball and was holding it too close to his lab partner, who wasn't having any of it.

Bella felt ready to barf. The formaldehyde smell and the thought of blood pouring from the frog when they cut into it were starting to get to her. How was she supposed to get through this period without making a complete fool out of herself by fainting or throwing up?

Xxxx

Thanks for reading. Hope you're having a wonderful October. Please leave a review. I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers. Next chapter will be up in a few days.

Reviews make my pumpkin smile.

And thanks for all the supporting comments on my job situation. I'm sure things will turn around, but it's hard facing into that void when it's straight ahead of you.


	3. AG Chapter 3 - Frog Fate

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween!

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

AMAZING GRACE

Chapter 3 – Reflections on the Awfulness of Life – but at Least I'm Not a Frog

 _Bella felt ready to barf. The formaldehyde smell and the thought of blood pouring from the frog when they cut into it were starting to get to her. How was she supposed to get through this period without making a complete fool out of herself by fainting or throwing up?_

Jasper's next question surprised Bella.

"Have you done this before?" he asked her.

"No, it's my first time," she answered. "With a frog, at least."

"It doesn't hurt," he replied. "I mean, the frog's already gone on to a better place, right?"

She nodded and licked her lips nervously, watching as he carefully lay the amphibian on its back.

One by one, he spread the frog's legs, pushing each of them back and pinning them to the board, exposing its undersides.

"You seem experienced at this," she started then stuttered as he looked up from his work. "I mean, like you've done this before."

He nodded, a hint of a smile flashing across his tense face.

When the wee beastie was pinioned, he took the scalpel and scissors and trimmed it up the middle, laying the insides bare before them.

"Oh," she whispered, feeling woozy.

"You're faint," he said, confirming her feelings before she spoke.

She was feeling weak, but not just from the blood, which wasn't red in the frog.

"Go ahead, I'm OK," she said. He paused, looking carefully at her before he continued.

"Ready?" he asked. He spread apart the skin, exposing what lay beneath, poking at each organ with the forceps before exposing it with the scalpel.

The coupled identified what they were seeing, labeling the body parts quickly. Bella's tongue felt thick, but she muttered the organ's name when it was her turn.

She couldn't help but notice how appeared to relax as he worked, and how attractive the smile that played across his gorgeous lips was. She was really grateful she wasn't carving, as she would have probably lost a few fingers by now with him around.

All too soon it was over, and he carefully unpinned the legs, allowing the small body to relax a bit before wrapping it in a paper towel and putting it in the waste disposal container.

After the frog was disposed of, Bella realized she could hear voices around her. She had been so focused on Jasper and what they were doing that the rest of the world had faded away for a few minutes.

The roaming Mr. Banner stopped by their table. "So, did Miss Swan participate at all, or did you handle everything, Mr. Hale?"

"I'm a bit clumsy and didn't want to risk getting poked…with the scalpel," Bella said, blushing.

"Oh, I see," Mr. Banner replied. "Well, well done then, Mr. Hale."

The bell rang, and coupled looked up. Quickly Jasper laid the tools in the cleansing fluid for the lab tech to pick up. He scooped up the notes and said, "We'll work on these tomorrow, OK?"

Bella nodded, grabbed her books, and left. She put her stuff in her locker then headed out. Standing at the window next to the door, she watching the rain for a few minutes, then pulled up her hood. No time like the present. This rain could go on for hours or stop in five minutes. She pushed open the door and stepped outside, starting the cold walk home. She tugged her sweatshirt closer as the wind splashed rain from the roof onto her head, drenching her hood and neck.

A blue convertible pulled up next to her and the window on the passenger side rolled down. Bella leaned over to look in.

It was Jasper. "Need a lift?" he asked.

"I'm OK," she said. "It's always raining here. We're used to it."

Jasper followed her down the street for a few hundred yards before pulling up next to her again. "You might as well hop in. Otherwise I'm going to have to follow you home to make sure you don't slip, fall into a mud puddle, and drown," he said.

Bella laughed and opened the door. "You're certified at CPR?"

"Maybe. Though in my past it might have been more in the other direction," he said.

"The other direction?" Bella asked. "You mean like killing people?"

"Just tragic blood," he said. "Forget it, hop in."

Bella slid into the car, setting her backpack on the floor and pulling on the seatbelt. She rubbed her hands and held them in front of the heat vent. "I'm getting your seat all wet," she commented.

"It's OK," he replied. "It'll dry off."

"Thanks for the lift. I have a car, or rather truck, but it's in the shop," Bella said.

Jasper nodded, pulling into the median on Forks Avenue and putting on his turn signal.

"So how was your first day?" she asked. "Oh, wait. Let me tell you where we're going." She realized he was heading in the right direction. "Do you know where I live?"

He laughed. "Of course not. I was just going in the same direction you were heading when you left the school."

He wasn't though. He was getting ready to turn. She let it go, giving him the directions, and all too soon, they pulled up on the grading in front of her house. Charlie's cruiser was in the driveway, so Jasper couldn't pull in.

"Thanks for the ride," she said.

"No problem," he answered. As he pulled away, he said, "I'll pick you up tomorrow," then rolled up his window and pulled off** before she could reply.

Charlie was standing at the front door. She went up the steps, checking to see how the jack-o-lantern Charlie had carved over the weekend was holding up. It was starting to show signs of decay. The top lid no longer fit snugly, but she decided the puckering around the mouth and eyes just made it look scarier.

"Nice car," Charlie said. "Who was that?"

"One of the doctor's kids offered me a ride home," she replied. "We're lab partners, and he saw me walking home after school so he gave me a lift."

"I would have picked you up," Charlie said. "I thought you said Angela was giving you a ride?"

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to bother her as she had chorus. Maybe my truck's ready. I'll check with Dowling's."

She called and was advised by the mechanic that they would need to order a part. It would take a day to be shipped, so it wouldn't be ready for a few days.

A few days.

She could walk. Although it seemed she had two competing males who wanted nothing more than to ensure her feet never hit the street.

Tomorrow would be another day. And not just any day, but Halloween.

Xx

Thanks for reading. Hope you're having a wonderful October. Please leave a review. I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers. Next chapter will be up in a few days.

(**that read "pulled out" before I caught myself. Still recovering from the frog scene.)

Reviews make my pumpkin smile.

And thanks for all the supporting comments on my job situation. I'm sure things will turn around, but it's hard facing into that void when it's straight ahead of you. Today was last day at work, but already have applications in at other places. Filled out an on-line test for one position. I don't see how ANYONE could pass one of those (a mix of quadratic equations and advanced vocabulary interspersed with 240 "personality" questions) – but they have employees, so people must.


	4. AG Chapter 4 - The Ride Home

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween!

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

AMAZING GRACE

Chapter 4 – The Ride Home

 _Bella called Dowling's and was advised by the mechanic that they would need to order a part. It would take a day to be shipped. It would be ready in a few days._

 _A few days. She could walk. Although it seemed she had two competing males, wanting to ensure her feet never hit the street._

 _Tomorrow was another day._

The next morning it wasn't raining, for a change.

Jasper's blue convertible pulled up front of the house at 7:30 a.m. On their way to school, Bella and Jasper were stuck behind a logging truck for a few blocks as they made their way down Forks Avenue. There was a turn lane, but that would have meant going around the truck, which was blocking the turn off for the school.

"Logging. It used to be the lifeblood of this town," Bella said. "Not while I was here, but in the past."

Jasper looked at the logs and the chains holding them. "Looks like a tough life," he said.

Bella noticed him examining the chains. "There are the occasional accidents where the logs come loose, but we haven't had one in years here in Forks," she told him.

The school day went by quickly. As they worked on their lab write-up during lunch, Bella was glad she had her part of their shared lab report prepared because she found Jasper's presence so distracting. He had such an amazing scent. She couldn't make sense of her feelings. She had never fallen so hard for anyone before. And the curious part was the way he stared at her, as if he shared her feelings.

Angela caught up with Bella in the hall between classes.

"So. You and Jasper?" Angela asked.

""Just doing our science lab write-up," Bella replied.

"I think it's great!" Angela gushed.

Jessica and Lauren came by. "So, you and the blond one? What's he like, Bells?" Lauren asked.

Lauren had barely spoken to her in the time she had been in Forks. Now she wanted to coin a nickname for her? And a hammy one at that?

How was Jasper? Jasper was OK, no, much better than OK. He was very down-to-earth, not like the stuck-up rich kids Bella had met in Phoenix. Maybe it would be best to divert attention away from him to the other members of the family.

"He's OK," she said in a non-committal tone to Lauren. "He has brothers. Have you met them?"

Lauren tossed her blond hair. "Oh, I've got my eye on one. Going to get asked to the spring dance, I think."

"That sounds great," Bella said.

"Bye then," Lauren said, and headed down the hall, whispering to Jessica and looking back and Bella over her shoulder.

Bella decided to just enjoy the moments.

When Bella and Jasper turned it their report to Mr. Banner during Biology, they learned that they were the only lab partners to complete it on time. Apparently, this was not uncommon, so Mr. Banner allowed the rest of the class to continue to work during the rest of the period. Mr. Banner gave them an extra credit lab, examination of an onion root, to work on.

Bella took the lead on this one. Slicing up a plant wasn't like slicing up an animal. The period passed much more quickly than it had the day before. This time, Jasper walked her to her locker and they went together to his car.

As he dropped her off at home, he asked, "Can I come by tomorrow? Let's take a drive out by the ocean. I really haven't had time to explore the local area."

Of course she said yes and went inside to face Charlie.

"How did the day go?" Charlie asked.

"OK. Turned in our lab report, that was about it. Pop quiz in Algebra."

"How'd that go?" Charlie asked.

"I think I did OK. Should have gotten at least a B," Bella replied.

She hardly slept that night, thinking about tomorrow. Where should she take him? Hiking? Along the coast? The town was so small, there wasn't much to show him.

She tossed all night, thinking of where to go and what to wear.

The next morning, it turned out Jasper already knew where he wanted to go. As Bella climbed in the car, he asked "Can we drive out by Ruby Beach?"

"Sure," she said, adjusting her seat belt.

They drove out of Forks, gliding down the 101 in his convertible toward Ruby Beach.

"Can we put the top down?" Bella asked.

In response, Jasper pushed a button and with a whir the roof folded down. The air was fresh and cold, but the feeling was exhilarating. Bella had to hold back the impulse to unbuckle her seatbelt and stand up, stretching forward over the windshield. She contented herself with leaning back and closing her eyes, feeling the air rushing over her face.

As she lay in that position, she heard motorcycles whizzing by.

"Those guys are going crazy fast," Jasper commented.

Bella's eyes snapped open. "My dad took a call at an accident a few days ago. I guess it was your dad's first day at the hospital?"

"Yeah, I heard about it." Jasper tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"People go too fast around these curves," Bella commented. "We're behind the logging truck, so we couldn't maneuver if we wanted to."

Jasper laughed. "So when did you move back here?"

OK. Change the subject. "Oh, late last spring," Bella replied. "You guys being new are taking some of the pressure off me."

"Didn't know they were pressuring you," he replied.

"Nothing I can't…" Bella's remark was cut off by the two motorcycles whizzing past them, the helmeted riders leaning into the curve.

"Are they crazy? They can't see around that truck!" Bella exclaimed.

There was a shriek of brakes and metal grinding. As the truck ahead put on its brakes, it started to slide, wobbling and skidding along the curving road. The long body of the truck, loaded with logs, skidded, blocking the road in front of them.

Jasper was turning the wheel, trying to avoid a crash, but they were boxed in by the van behind them. Their car spun out of control as the truck's rear end flailed, sparks flying from under the wheels.

Bella screamed as it became clear they were going to be pinned between the flailing truck and the van behind them.

Something hit the side of her head as she heard a metallic crunch.

Then there was nothing.

xxx

Bella came to, moaning as sensation came to her. Something hurt though she couldn't quite tell where. She couldn't see clearly. Were her eyes open?

She blinked and realized she was seeing as if through a frosted glass panel.

She was cold. Bella tried to sit up but couldn't figure out how. She tried to lift her hand but wasn't sure it was moving.

She could feel something on her hand.

"Can you hear me?" Jasper's voice came from a distance. His face swam into view above her but she had trouble focusing.

"What…" her tongue felt thick. She cleared her throat and tried again. "… happened?" was all that came out.

The memory of the car accident, the sound of brakes grinding and the feeling of being trapped between the two vehicles came back to her. _What had happened? Where is the car? Where am I?_

She heard a beep and another face came into view. A blond man with pale skin, someone she didn't recognize.

"This is my father, Dr. Cullen," Jasper said.

"You've been out for a while," Dr. Cullen told her. "How do you feel? Can you squeeze my finger?"

Bella's tongue still felt thick. "Body heavy, hard to see."

There were a few more electronic beeps. She saw a movement in the background, but couldn't focus enough to see who it was. "Charlie?" she called out.

"Who?" Jasper asked.

"Dad," she replied.

"Are you squeezing my finger?" the doctor asked.

"I'm trying, but feel so…it's too much work," she said.

"I've sedated you pretty heavily," the doctor said. "Are you in pain?"

"Not sure," Bella replied. "Something hurts."

"Get some rest we'll try again in a while."

She felt herself slipping away.

After a while she forced herself back up to the surface of consciousness. It felt so good and easy in the darkness that she realized she was in danger.

She pushed hard against her eyelids. She felt them flutter but didn't open.

"Bella?" A voice and sweet scent. Who was it? Male…Jasper.

"Bella, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand." A man's voice. Vaguely familiar. Not Jasper, not Charlie. Who? So dark, so much effort to stay awake.

It was a lot of work but she found her hand. She squeezed.

"I'm not feeling anything," the voice said. "I don't know if she can't hear or if she doesn't have the ability to move her hand. Edward?"

Who was that? The doctor, right.

"I'm not getting anything from her," a new voice said. "I didn't at school either. I wonder if she's some kind of a shield."

"Not helping." That was Jasper's voice. A scent washed over her face. Someone was near.

"Can you hear me? Blink for me." She gave up guessing who it was.

She tried again, and this time she got her eyes open. Hard to focus, but she could see Jasper's face. She thought it was Jasper. So difficult to think clearly.

Bella smiled at him. She hoped she smiled, as she wasn't sure she had moved.

"Squeeze my hand," someone said.

She did.

"Can you squeeze my hand?" This time the voice was gentler.

"I did," Bella said. But no words came out of her mouth. Nothing was moving.

Another face swam into view.

"Bella, I'm holding your hand. Can you move your finger?"

She tried hard, putting all her effort into it. Everything was in such a haze, and she felt resistance against every effort she made.

"Blink once for yes and twice for no," someone said.

"Did you move your finger?" a voice asked.

It was once for yes, right? She blinked once.

The two faces looked at one another.

"You were in a car accident," someone said. "You injured your spine."

"Dad?" she tried to say.

"What? What are you asking?" The voice was gentle and sorrowful.

The light was becoming fainter and things were slipping away. It was so much effort. She heard the beeping in the background.

She heard a sweet voice calling her so she struggled back.

"Bella, are you there? Don't leave. I must talk to you." It was Jasper. He sounded so worried. She pushed and swam back up.

She forced open her eyes, just slits.

"She's awake. I don't know how much longer you have," the doctor said. "You must decide and act soon or she'll be out of time."

"Bella, it's Jasper," a voice said. She knew this voice. "Your back is broken. You're paralyzed. We don't know how long you have, but if you do recover, you probably won't be able to move again."

Why was she hearing this? She started to slip back into the comforting darkness but there was a sting on her face. Had someone slapped her?

Jasper was there, just over her face. "I can fix it. I can fix it and you can stay with me. Things will be different though. You'll be like me."

Bella nodded or thought she nodded. She felt something squeeze her hand. Something hard and cold.

"I just found you," he said. "I can't stand the thought of losing you." He sounded so sad, his voice breaking.

"Blink once for yes." _Whose voice was that?_

It was too much. She started slipping back. Too hard. Pain was intensifying. She could feel it in her back, legs, feet. Why?

"He's stopped the pain medication so you can communicate," Jasper said.

But the pain was too much. It was creating fireworks inside the dark and she couldn't scream or say how much it hurt.

She blinked and blinked.

"What's she saying?" Jasper's voice asked.

"I think she's starting to feel pain," the doctor's voice replied. "I decreased the anesthesia so she could communicate."

It just hurt so much.

"Do you want me to make it stop? Do you want to be like me?" Jasper whispered.

Bella blinked once and let go.

She heard an alarm from the beeping machine.

"You need to do it…" was the last thing she heard.

She felt a sharp sting in her neck, the in her wrists and ankles. It was just so dark and she couldn't move. Then a fire began at those five points and began to spread. Couldn't they stop it?

She tried to scream but nothing came out.

Something cold was next to her. Bella heard a voice as she sank into the fire. "I'm right next to you. I'll be here when you wake up again," a voice said in her ear. "I'm sorry for how it burns, but I'll be right here, waiting for you on the other side."

Then she fell into the flames, unable to scream as they burnt away her mortality.

The End

Xx

Thanks for reading. Hope you're having a wonderful October. Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile.

Next story will be up in a few days. I will send a preview to all reviewers.

Sorry to have put my job situation in the comments section of this story, a real world intrusion, but your kind and thoughtful comments have really helped me through this difficult time.


	5. Costumes Chapter 1 - First Sight

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

COSTUMES

Chapter 1 – First Sight

"What about this one?" Angela asked.

Bella turned. At least it was Angela. Jessica had just pulled out a porn-queen version of an I Dream of Genie outfit off the rack and was holding it up against herself in front of a mirror, turning for better views.

Angela was holding a Harry Potter student outfit. It was cute, actually. Just a robe and scarf. Bella could do that. She took the costume from Angela and held it at arm's length.

"What do you think?" she asked Angela. "Gryffindor?"

"Too boring," Jessica stated. "Of course, you could wear heels and hike up the robe a bit…"

Angela giggled.

"I'm just saying, Bella," Jessica went on. "Those hot new guys in town need girlfriends. And…here we are. Three of them, three of us."

"I think that guy Emmett smiled at you," Angela said to Jessica.

"He totally wants me," Jessica said. She pulled out something black and diaphanous for inspection.

"What kind of a costume is that?" Bella asked. "Victoria's Secret model?"

"A witch, obviously," Jess said.

Not so obvious, Bella thought.

Still, those new Cullen guys were cute. Especially the blond one, Jasper. Even if he did have an odd, old-fashioned name. She remembered the first time she saw him…

First Sight.

Or first vision. A new car had roared into the Forks High parking lot. A Jeep, raised impossibly high. Before it stopped, someone had vaulted out, swinging gracefully from the roll bar. A long, lean jeans-clad body had appeared first, then that blond head. She was sure she had been staring with her mouth open. He had been laughing with whoever was still in the car, but she never saw the others get out. The whole thing had been hokey, like something from an old movies, as the whole world came to a focus on him.

Funny thing though. It was like the same thing happened to him when he turned and spotted her. He stopped laughing and stared at her. Then a red-head climbed out of the car and came up behind him, tapping his shoulder. A big guy climbed out of the driver's seat, jostled the blond and they all stared at her for a few seconds, until the big guy elbowed the blond and took him by the arm.

Too easy. She had ducked and run into school, blushing and shaking from the intensity of the experience.

But oh, that first glance.

Once inside, Bella leaned against her locker with her eyes closed, catching her breath, listening to the sounds of voices and lockers being slammed around her. She waited for lunch as she knew Jessica would have the scoop on the new students.

Of course, Jessica did. They were the new doctor's kids. Jessica's mother just happened to be at the hospital, nothing serious of course, just having some woman issues tended to. She was friends with the triage nurse, and had gotten all the news from her. The whole hospital was buzzing about the handsome new doctor. Since he worked in the Emergency Room, the nurse had told Mrs. Stanley to have a seat in the waiting room and she would see him pass.

The new doctor was hardly older than they were. Jessica's mother was gah-gah over him. Surprisingly, he and his wife had three sons, all high school age. All dreamy.

"How did those guys remain single for so long?" Jessica gushed.

"I don't know," Bella said. "I hope it's not because they have zippo in the personality department. Like they are spoiled rich kids, insufferable…"

"Hello, ladies," came a drawl. Angela squeaked and even Jessica looked surprised.

The girls turned in unison to see the three brothers standing next to them.

"Hi," Jess said a little too brightly. Even she couldn't keep her cool.

"So, you ladies available for a Halloween party?" the big, dark-haired brother asked.

That got a nudge from the red-head. "We're having a get-together Halloween night. Would you guys like to come?" the red-head asked.

That was Edward, right? Bella thought.

"Guys?" Emmett asked, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe we should introduce ourselves," said the blond one who was staring at Bella. "I'm Jasper, and these are my brothers, Emmett," he gestured to the big guy, "and Edward," gesturing to the red-head.

Angela's eyes were locked on Edward's. Emmett waved his hand in front of Edward's face. "Hello?"

Edward grabbed Emmett's hand, a snarl ripping from his mouth.

Bella froze. What the heck? The boy sounded like an animal! Maybe this was why he didn't have a girlfriend...she shook her head as she watched Jasper.

Jasper stepped in between Edward and Emmett. "Ladies present," he said

The two combatants stepped back, putting smiles on their faces

"Tomorrow night?" Jasper said.

"Yes," Bella said. He smiled. She felt like her heart felt like it would burst her chest it was beating so hard.

Jasper had bowed, and the three brothers walked away, glancing back at Bella and her friends a few times before rounding a corner.

Back In the store in Port Angeles, the three girls finally settled on costumes. Angela was going to be a witch, Jessica went with a raunchy Snow White costume, and Bella took the Harry Potter student costume.

On the drive back to Forks, Jessica chattered non-stop. Bella was sure that if the trip had been any longer, she would have worked out the details on her wedding with the boy she had only met once.

As Jessica dropped her off, she asked Bella, "Are you sure you don't want me to help you with your makeup?"

"No, Jessica, I'll be fine," Bella said.

"But you won't," Jessica said. "You don't want to mess this up. That guy is seriously hot."

"I know," Bella whispered as Jessica pulled away. "And I'm afraid of messing it up."

xxx

Thanks for reading. Hope you're having a great October.

Please leave a review. Reviews make my jack-o-lantern's scowl turn to a smile! And I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.


	6. Costumes Chapter 2 - Arrival

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

COSTUMES

Chapter 2 – The Party – The Arrival

 _As Jessica dropped Bella off, she asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to help you with your makeup?"_

" _No, Jessica, I'll be fine," Bella said._

" _But you won't," Jessica said. "You don't want to mess this up. That guy is seriously hot."_

" _I know," Bella whispered as Jessica pulled away. "And I'm afraid of messing it up."_

Halloween.

Donald Trump came to the Swan house that night. Several times. As did Hilary Clinton, Spider Man, the guy from Dead Pool, and an assortment of princesses and pirates. Bella passed out candy to trick-or-treaters of all sizes until 7:45. But her mind wasn't on the candy-seekers. Several times, instead of offering her standard choices of "chocolate or lollipop" she blurted out "Jasper or Emmet." Nope. This was not going to be a night when she could stay focused.

At 7:45, she used a break in the flow of trick-or-treaters to turn out the porch light and get ready for the party.

Despite her best intentions of dressing up, it only took a few minutes to get ready. She put on some mascara and foundation, then ended up washing off the foundation. She didn't like the "made up" look. Mascara and a near nude lipstick would have to do, she thought as she slipped on her Hogwarts robe.

She looked in the mirror as she put on the scarf, tying it a few different ways before just throwing it around her neck.

Bella was still brushing her hair overly energetically when Jessica pulled up to the house and leaned on the horn. Bella smiled as she watched Angela mouthing "stop" at Jessica through the window.

On her way out, she blew out the candle in the jack-o-lantern on the porch. As she got in to Jessica's car, she commented, "You look amazing, Angela."

"Thanks." Angela did look good. She had done dramatic make-up and it was very effective. Her face was alabaster, with carefully sculpted cheekbones, and she had applied a plum/burgundy eyeshadow, setting off the eyeliner and brows. Her lower eye line echoed her eyebrow. It shouldn't have worked, but it did. And her lipstick was black. Bella couldn't stop staring at her, thinking over her own limited makeup.

Angela seemed to guess what Bella was thinking. "I found a MAC video on the InterNet," she said. "Do you think it's too much?"

"No, it's great," Bella said.

From the driver's seat, Jessica blew a bubble with her chewing gum. "Not too late to stop at my house. I could do your make-up, Bella," she said.

"Thanks, Jessica, but I want to feel comfortable," Bella said. "Besides, the classmates in the Harry Potter movies never looked made up. They just looked…like kids."

"Wonder what the guys will be wearing?" Jessica asked.

Bella giggled, getting over her own nervousness and starting to feeling excited about the party. "No idea. Did you hear about anyone else going?"

"No and I didn't ask," Jess said. "I just told my mom I was going to a party at the doctor's house."

"Are you sure you know the way?" Bella said. "They're kind of off the beaten path."

"Emmett said he would put out a sign for us," Jessica said. "We're supposed to turn off the 101 after the bridge."

The night was bright, lit by a rare Halloween full moon. Angela read the MapQuest directions she had printed, directing Jessica to turn off at the bridge before Sappho. The road was narrow, barely two lanes, and quite dark under the pines that nearly met above the pavement. Jessica slowly made her way through the gloom.

"Help me look," she said to Bella and Angela.

"It's just so dark," Angela said. "Do we have a phone number? Maybe we should call and have them come meet us."

Jessica popped her gum again, irritating Bella. "No phone number," she said. "Should have asked. Not leaving tonight without it."

Finally the darkness was broken by the eerie glow of orange fairy lights strung on a pair of pine trees. At the base of one tree, a lit pumpkin beamed a wicked grin.

"I think that's our sign," Jessica said, turning her car up the driveway.

They had only driven a few hundred yards when they encountered a hand-lettered sign. "This Way," it read, with an orange arrow pointing straight ahead.

"That's our sign all right," Bella said.

They slowly made their way down the long driveway. It was much smoother going than the road they had come in on. "How long is this driveway?" Jessica grumbled. "I mean, when are we going to see a house?"

As if in answer, there was an opening in the trees. Jessica pulled up in front of a large farm house with a wrap-around porch, which glowed a faint alabaster in the moonlight. The windows were dark, though the wrap-around porch was lit by jack-o-lanterns that lined the bannister and steps.

"I think we're expected," Angela said.

"Somebody knows how to carve," Bella said. "Look at the faces and scenes on those jack-o-lanterns. They put my little pumpkin to shame."

The pumpkins were spectacular. There were cats with arched backs, haunted castles, ghosts, Frankenstein monsters mixed in among standard smiling and frowning faces.

"There must be twenty or thirty up there," Angela breathed.

Jessica parked next to a black BMW. As the girls walked to the front of the house, a couple in evening wear came down the steps. A tall blond man wore on a black tuxedo topped with a cape, while she had on an elegant evening gown, soft but glowing gold.

"Good evening, girls," the doctor said.

"Good evening, Dr. Cullen," Jessica said. "I love your house."

"Why thank you," he said. Behind him, the front door slowly swung open, but no one appeared in the doorway.

"I believe your hosts await within," he said in a stage whisper.

"Are you leaving?" Bella asked.

"We're going to the hospital for a few hours," Dr. Cullen replied. "Boring, grown-up event. We'll be back soon." 

The woman asked, "Do you want us to stay?"

Angela answered. "If you want to, Ma'am."

"I think the boys have a full evening lined up," Dr. Cullen said, "and I suspect it doesn't involve us."

The two adults left, the doctor handing his lady into the BMW.

Angela sighed, watching them. "So romantic, so gallant. That's what I want, a man who will treat me like that."

"Kind of weird, leaving us like this," Bella said.

"He's just open-minded," Jessica said, "Let's go in."

xxx

Thanks for reading. Halloween is just HOURS away!

Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile and I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers. Next chapter on Halloween! See you then!


	7. Costumes Chapter 3 - The Party

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing across the ground, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

The world of Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in it.

COSTUMES

Chapter 3 – The Party

" _I think the boys have a full evening lined up," Dr. Cullen said, "and I suspect it doesn't involve us."_

 _They left, the doctor handing his lady into the Bentley._

 _Angela sighed. "So romantic, so gallant."_

" _Kind of weird, leaving us like this," Bella said._

" _He's just open-minded," Jessica said, "Let's go in."_

The front door was still open, but the hallway behind it was dark, with only a few flickers of light.

"Should we walk in?" Bella whispered. Angela shrugged and Jessica reached for the door. Bella knocked on the door frame.

A moan came from inside, followed by a creepy noise, like a creaking door swinging open.

Bella shivered. "That's our cue," Jessica said, walking in.

The hallway was lit by white candles set on skulls, lining the walls about shoulder height.

"Wow, the Cullens go all out," Angela whispered to Bella.

One of the skulls moved. "Good evening ladies," it said.

There was a movement, and someone turned around. It was Emmett, in a black outfit with a skull mask on the back of his head. He laughed, a bellowing laugh, removing the candle and mask.

"Evening. You look lovely," he said to Jessica. He bent to kiss her hand and never gave it back. Jessica's eyes glazed as she stared into Emmett's eyes.

A door to the left slowly opened. A tall figure appeared in the door. Bella's heart beat faster. Jasper?

"Ladies," came a soft voice.

No accent. A soft voice, but Edward's, not Jasper's. Edward was wearing a medieval sorcerer's outfit, with a long red robe. The sleeves were full, and both the sleeves and front had a brocade border, laced with swirling pattern in gold and black.

Angela stepped forward, grabbing Bella's hand tightly in hers and pulling her into the room. As they left the hallway, Bella watched as Emmett pulled Angela closer, much closer. He bent over her, then Edward slid the door shut, blocking her view of the hallway.

This new room had a medieval theme. There were suits of armor, rich tapestries on the wall, and the centerpieces was a round table with a checkerboard layout. Bouquets of brilliant tulips were at each corner of the game board.

"Nice," Bella blurted out.

"I love it," said Angela.

"I'm glad you approve," Edward purred, never taking his eyes from Angela. He pushed a champagne flute into her hand. It bubbled but she didn't drink from it. She just stared at Edward and giggled.

"Do you play chess?" asked Edward, gesturing to the sofa. Angela sat down and Edward seated himself next to her in an impossibly graceful gesture.

They look great together, Bella thought. But where was Jasper?

Bella glanced around, feeling like a third wheel as both her friends had paired off. Suddenly she felt hands on her waist. He was behind her. An intoxicating scent flooded her, drenching her from head to toe. She closed her eyes, relishing the sensation. She felt the hands pull her close and rock her back and forth, as if they were dancing.

She didn't want to open her eyes.

Bella felt herself being lead. "You can open them, angel," the voice she was waiting for whispered.

She opened her eyes and there was Jasper, lit by moonlight from a window behind him. He wore a military uniform. She was too dazed to figure out what it was.

"I like your…onesie," she said. She shook her head. "I mean, uniform."

He laughed and stepped back, gesturing down his side. "Full dress, with sword," he said. He looked dashing. The uniform had a gray vest with yellow trim and gold buttons, blue slacks, and a red sash around the waist.

"And you," he said. "A student?" He took her hand in his gloved hand and twirled her around. The hand, though gentle, felt bony, hard, under the glove.

"Hogwarts," she replied, feeling giddy and dizzy.

"Ah," he said, "I might have guessed," pulling her close.

Bella touched the red sash on his waist then pulled her hand away. He put her hand back on his waist, pulling her closer and leaning forward to sniff her hair.

"You smell divine," he whispered. "You have no idea."

"So do you," she replied.

She leaned against him, heart pounding. His cologne was something heady and intoxicating. He pulled back and looked down at her, and she felt herself growing weak as she looked up into his eyes.

"Dance with me?" he asked, leaning back and pushing a button on something barely visible against the wall behind him.

A song came on. Something slow and soft. "I was a quick wet boy..." it started, and then Bella couldn't focus any longer.

"I don't dance," she said.

"No?" he asked.

"I can't. I fall over my feet...or yours…"

"Just follow me," Jasper replied.

She closed her eyes and let him lead. It was easy this way. She felt herself beginning to trust and let go. The song ended and she opened her eyes. He was staring down at her, dipping his face toward her.

Bella went on her tiptoes, reaching for and finding his lips. When they touched, she was surprised. They looked so plump and soft, but they were hard as stone? She didn't care. She melted hers around his and lingered for a second, matching his movements.

She pulled back to get a breath.

His eyes glittered above hers. "Questions?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I don't care," she said, and found it to be true. It had been like kissing a statue, but she had never wanted the moment to end. The sweet scent swirling around them and the closeness to him overrode any nervousness about his skin. She reached up and traced her finger along his cheek, back to his ear. Stony as well.

Bella smiled at him.

"You're not even curious?" Jasper asked, taking her hand and placing it on his shoulder.

"Only if you want to tell me," she said.

"I do, of course, but I don't want you to be afraid."

"I won't," she replied.

"I believe you," he said, inhaling deeply. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you."

"Tell me," she said. "Because I've waited for you just as long."

"Perhaps not as long as I have," Jasper replied, leading her up a candlelit set of stairs. She heard a shriek from downstairs. She pulled away, looking over the bannister.

"Angela!?" she called down.

"That was Jessica," Jasper said. "She'll be all right. Sometimes my brother Emmet doesn't know his own strength, but he treasures your friend."

There was a crash from one of the rooms, the sound of glass breaking. She turned from him to run back down the stairs to help her friend. "Jessica?" she called out, frightened.

Jasper grabbed her hand. "Emmett, bring her to the door. Let Bella see that she's OK."

There was silence. "That'll have to be later," Emmett called up.

"Damn it," Jasper swore.

Bella stared at him, worried.

"All right, we'll go see her," Jasper said, looking grim. Then his face and voice softened. "She will be OK, I promise."

Jasper swung Bella into his arms and sped down the stairs. To Bella, it seemed as if she had hardly blinked and they were in front of a door in the hall.

Jasper knocked then slid it open.

Jessica was laying on a sofa, and Emmet was seated on the floor, holding her hand. Jessica was twisting her head back and forth, moaning, "No, it hurts." There was blood on the side of her face. A broken lamp lay on the floor next to the sofa.

"She knocked over the lamp when I was putting her on the sofa," Emmett said.

"We better call a doctor," Bella said. "Can we reach your father?"

"Come upstairs and sit with me," Jasper said. "I'll explain everything."

His voice was so hypnotic, that her fears for Jessica were overridden. Wait, where was Angela?

"Angela?" she called out.

"Edward took Angela for a walk in the moonlight," Jasper said. "He told me he wanted to show her the stream behind the house."

Bella felt dizzy and shook her head. She should be worried about Jessica, and maybe Angela, but nothing seemed to matter right now. Dazed, she let Jasper lift her again.

They were upstairs and in a room in seconds. Jasper set her down on a love seat and sat next to her, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer with her scarf.

"Once, long ago, there was a young Major in the Civil War. He was headed to Galveston one night when he met three women on a road…"

He leaned in closer, stroking her hair away from her neck as he spoke. She bent her head to one side as he leaned closer, nuzzling her neck.

"Won't your parents be back soon?" she finally squeaked out. "Your father can look at Jessica."

Jasper leaned back and laughed. "You're very strong," he said. "Jessica will be OK in three days, I suspect. Father has his hands full with his own lovely lady. This town has been very good for us."

Then he leaned in again, and Bella felt a soft kiss, despite the cold of his lips. She closed her eyes, and they were still closed when the kiss turned into a bite…

THE END

Happy Halloween!

xxx

Thanks for reading. Happy Halloween!

Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile. Hope you have tons of trick-or-treaters or a great party, however it is you may celebrate. (I've been binge-watching horror movies for several days.)


	8. Halloween Card 1 - Romantic Delusions

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing around, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

Halloween Card

Chapter 1 – Romantic Delusions

 _OK, guys. This one is a bit spookier. The Cullens are more like the vampires of our nightmares._

The wind swept down the dark streets of Forks, rustling scattered leaves along a sidewalk. The few people still out scurried toward warmth and light in the wee hours of October 28th. Dark shadows slipped into the forest.

The next morning, Bella made her weekly shopping trip to Forks Outfitters. After grabbing a few more bags of Charlie's favorite Halloween candy, she stopped in front of the rack of greeting cards and picked up a Halloween card. It was cute. A cartoon black cat with a fluffy fat feather for a tail, silhouetted against a full moon with a purple sky background.

Too bad she didn't have anyone to give a card to.

Sure, she could give one to Charlie, but what was the point? She could picture the scene now. He would raise an eyebrow and say, "Well, thanks, Bella. I hope you have a nice day too."

Though she was comfortable with the quiet father-daughter relationship they had, it wasn't one where either expressed emotion or chatted about their feelings.

Jessica, for all her faults, could talk. And talk. Sometimes Bella wished she could be more like Jessica. Maybe then she would have a boyfriend, someone she could talk to. Or not talk to. Argue with on the phone. Take long walks or drives with. All that gushy and not-so gushy stuff that seems the mainstay of relationships.

Bella put the cad back and pulled out another. Now here was a romantic one, featuring a sexy witch. It was cute. The card had all the necessary witchy elements: she had a broom, cat, and cleavage revealing outfit.

Bella drifted back to her boyfriend haze. Giving a card would require a real boyfriend, someone besides Heathcliff from _Wuthering Heights_. And after all, he wasn't exactly available to her, devoted as he was to the long-dead Cathy. And he wasn't exactly a great person as an adult, though the couple seemed to have had a great time playing on the moors as children.

She imagined Heathcliff showing up at the Forks Coffee Shop. Nope, with her luck, Charlie would probably run into him first, consider him a suspicious character, and try to escort him out of town.

What would intense devotion to a dead person be like, the kind that could warp the physical worlds of time and space, keeping the beloved close after death?

What would any loss be like? Not that Bella had ever loved like that. This lack of love caused a hole in her life, an emptiness and yearning she could not hide from. Sometimes she wanted to double over from it, the aching and yearning for connection and meaning.

She rubbed her chest, feeling the ache of this hole, then recalled herself to her surroundings. She was standing in the greeting card aisle of a grocery store with people were passing by. She squared her shoulders and marched to the meat section to grab some steak for Charlie, the man in her life.

The only man in her life.

 **Halloween night.**

Jessica had invites for both of them her to the Markowitz's Halloween party. She found a classical vampire opera cape, black with a red lining, at Forks Outfitter, and put it over a black sweater and black jeans. Instant vampire, easy-peasy. She brought a pair of fangs from the local hamburger stand, Sully's, but they didn't allow for much talking or drinking, so she left them in her pocket most of the night.

The party had been a bit of a drag. She had stayed for a while, mostly to please Jessica, and fought off underage guys, those her own age, who had staggered around the house with beer-filled red Solo cups. There had been too-loud music, floors slippery with spilled beer, and some freshman had tried to hit on her. She ended up pouring her drink in his lap, and even that didn't dissuade him.

Around 11:00, Bella said her good-byes to Jessica, who was surrounded by admirers, and left, glad she had insisted on driving separately.

She thought it might be fun to run out to Ruby Beach, look at the moon over the ocean. It seemed a fitting way to end a Halloween night. So she went out into the night and headed out to the beach. The pines on either side of the road were a ghostly presence, seeming to absorb the limited light coming from the sky.

The new moon had been on October 30th, so it was really dark, even with the stars. The October full moon had been the Hunter's Moon, and it had lit up the sky weeks earlier. She wondered if the Hunter's Moon lasted the full lunar cycle. Who was hunting out there right now?

When she turned off at Ruby Beach, the ocean was black under the new moon. The surf was steady, but sounded like it was battling the beach, tearing it away, not the reassuring sound she usually associated with the ocean. She parked the truck under a parking lot light that flicked off the second she opened the cab door. She waited a second and it flicked back on, emitting a buzzing sound. Great.

But it was OK, right? Made it feel more like Halloween. She would stay just a few minutes. Just look at the ocean and go. Bella walked to the railing and peered over the edge at the ocean. Black water, tipped with white flowed and ebbed beneath her feet.

She heard a sound and turned around to see someone not far behind her. Whoever they were, they were between Bella and her truck. She froze, realizing that coming here alone after dark might have been a terrible idea.

Then the stranger was standing right next to her. From the hair, she appeared to be a girl, as it stuck out in all directions, moussed to the max. And she was short, quite short. That she was dressed entirely in black made her almost melt into the darkness.

"Hi," said a soft voice, impossibly musical.

Just at the moment, the parking lot light flicked back on. If the stranger's teeth hadn't flashed under the lights so brightly, Bella might have been more reassured.

"Um, hi," Bella said as she turned back to her truck. Under the flickering light, she could see that her driver's side front tire was flat. How had that happened? Sure, the drive in had been a bit bumpy, but had she been driving on a flat?

Could she get back to Forks on that?

The pixie moved next to her. "Wow, that looks flat," she said.

Bella turned. "Yeah, but maybe I can get home on it," she replied, feeling a pang of unease, even though this was a girl, and a small girl at that. Like a pixie, she thought, trying to make the stranger less frightening. A pixie dressed in black who appeared out of the darkness on Halloween…no, don't go there.

"Do you want a lift?" the stranger asked. "Which way are you going?"

Bella leaned in slightly, despite a feeling of discomfort. No scent of alcohol, but man she smelled good. Almost intoxicating.

Someone else appeared next to her, moving so silently Bella barely sensed a movement before seeing her. With uncanny timing, the light flicked back on, revealing an attractive woman with a quiet, lady-like appearance, like a 1930's movie actress. When she smiled, though, a sense of uneasiness pervaded Bella.

"Hi," Bella said to this second stranger.

The woman smiled back and reached out, touching Bella's hair. "Nice hunting," she said to the demon pixie.

Bella pushed the woman's hand back. It was hard and cold, like touching a statue.

Who were these people?

Xxx

Please leave a review. They make my pumpkins (since they weren't carved, they're still on the porch) smile.

I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.


	9. Halloween Card 2 - Not a Relaxing Drive

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing around, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

Halloween Card – Chapter 2 – Not a Relaxing Drive

 _The woman smiled and reached out, touching Bella's hair. "Nice hunting," she said._

 _Bella pushed the woman's hand back. It was hard and cold, like touching a statue._

 _Who were these people?_

The crunch of tires on rocks caught Bella's attention. She glanced back at the entrance to the beach and saw a car turning toward them. Another visitor. She would be safe. All she had to do was get in front of this new car. When they stopped to avoid hitting her, she could ask for their cell phone, saying hers was dead. That way, she wouldn't have to insult these strange people who were giving her the creeps. No reason to be unfriendly, though that "hunting" remark was weird.

Maybe she should worry so much about insulting them.

She exhaled, stepping further away from the brunette, now smiling naturally. "Really, thank you but I think…"

"Think what?" the demonic pixie said, waving at the driver in the new car.

Bella's heart sank. Were these their friends? Still, she might be able to appeal to them. Maybe they weren't all creepy.

A dark sedan with tinted windows pulled up next to them, the gravel grumbling under its tires as it pulled to a stop. The short girl opened the rear passenger door. "Hop in," she said to Bella.

Bella's momentary relief evaporated, leaving her feeling worse than before. "That's OK, I'll just call my dad," Bella said, stammering slightly but hoping it would scare them off. "He's the local police chief, you know."

"I always like a man in uniform," the other woman laughed, showing startling white teeth.

"Oh, Esme, you're just such a traditionalist," the short girl said.

Fear for her father suddenly invaded Bella's soul. "On the other hand, you're here," Bella said, "and I'm sure he's busy tonight. I'm headed back to Forks and would appreciate a lift."

She paused by the car door, pulling her school I.D. from her jeans pocket and letting it slip to the ground by her shoe. Charlie would find it and come after her if she didn't make it home. She shuddered at the thought but told herself to be brave. She could still get away, even if she got in the car. The I.D. was there, it would start the search. She heard a pinging sound from the car and looked up. The driver's side door was open.

"Did you lose this, Miss?" a male voice asked.

Someone was standing next to her in the dark. Another one! This guy was huge. How had he gotten to her so quietly? He towered over Bella, muscles swelling out the sleeves of his white track suit. When he smiled, Bell couldn't suppress her fear and screamed.

"Now, now," the woman called Esme said, "No need for hysterics. We're just going to give you a lift." She clamped her hand over Bella's mouth.

The hand was as cold and hard as Bella remember from when she touched it earlier. Bell grabbed Esme's hand, trying to free herself. She twisted, trying to angle herself so she couldn't be pushed into the car, fighting to stay outside.

To no avail. The man put his hand on the top of her head, and she was shoved into the backseat.

Esme got into the front seat. Bella seized the door handle and tried to open it, but the tall guy was already in the driver seat and the lock wouldn't open. He must have activated the childproof locks. Though she knew it wouldn't help, she banged against the window, screaming "Help! Help me!"

The car took off, spinning and wheeling quickly despite the rock strewn surface of the parking lot. The ride was smooth once they hit the pavement. Bella couldn't see out the windows, but felt the left turn onto the 101. That was the direction of Forks. She fumbled with her purse, trying to cover her actions with the cape of her vampire costume. Maybe she could get off a text without these people noticing? If not, how could she leave a note? Could she jot something down and toss it out the window?

Even if they saw her do it, maybe they wouldn't be able to find the note in the darkness.

"Beautiful weather, though a full moon would have been nice," the demon pixie mused.

"There'll be another one in ten or so years, you know," Esme replied.

"So dim out," the pixie said. "I like to have a little light while I work, that's all." She touched Bella's vampire cape. "Is this your costume?" she asked.

"Yeah," Bella answered. What were the suggestions when kidnapped? Talk to them. Make them see you as an individual. It will be harder for them to tear you apart…nope, that was not a thought she wanted to continue. Still, talk. "I was at a Halloween party," she continued.

"So you're a vampire?" the guy driving asked. "Really?"

"Yes, a vampire. Let me get my fangs going." Bella dug in her bag, pulling out the plastic fangs and a piece of paper and pen to use for writing a note. She put the fangs in her mouth, slipping the pen and paper onto the seat under her cloak, and chomped the fangs a few times. "Pretty scary, huh?"

"I don't believe it," the guy laughed. "We've got a vampire among us. Classic."

"How about you?" Bella asked, her mouth dry, trying to draw him out. "Did you dress up for Halloween?"

"Naw," he said. "I wanted to, but Ma Esme…"

"Son," the woman in the front seat interrupted. "That's enough," she said softly, putting a hand on his arm. "Enough. We'll be home in a few minutes."

Her words put a chill through Bella.

The car slowed down and Bella saw a few lights outside the window. They must be in Forks. If they drove over 35 mph, maybe Charlie would notice. As subtly as possible, she pushed on the window button. Nothing. Childproof protection must extend to the windows. This was bad, very bad.

She took a deep breath. Focus, stay focused. She still had the pen and paper. When they got to someplace darker on the road, she would write something, her hand hidden under her costume.

Two minutes flew past, and the car picked up speed again. They must have blown though Forks.

What were they going to do? Kill her? What was that remark about hunting? Now that they had gone past Forks, Bella's fear was making her nauseous. She leaned forward, choking and coughing.

"Pull over, dear, unless you want the child's vomit in your car," the woman named Esme said.

""Not exactly," the driver said.

He pulled over and Bella tumbled out of the car. She was tempted to retch into the back seat to leave a clue. The seats were leather, so surely that would leave some kind of DNA clue. Something else for Charlie to find and nail these people, if she didn't make it home.

Maybe if she cut herself?

Just thinking about the possibilities was too much. Bella retched into the darkness on the side of the road. Looking around, she could see that they weren't on the 101. They were on a smaller road. The ride had been so smooth she hadn't noticed the turn. She struggled to recognize where they were. Was this the turn-off for another highways? A small side road? Were there any houses nearby?

Maybe she could scratch a note for Charlie in the dirt. She dug into her pocket for a Kleenex and pulled out her school I.D. She wiped off her mouth on the tissue then wrapped her I.D. in the Kleenex before dropping it on the ground. Surely these freaks wouldn't dig through that. She started to scratch a note with the toe of her shoe when she was interrupted.

"A clever one," the woman said, scraping up the whole mess and putting it into a black backpack. Bella noted with a frisson of fear that Esme was wearing rubber gloves. This woman had come with rubber gloves, prepared to remove any evidence.

Bella got back in the car, drained and terrified. They were clearly experienced.

"Maybe we should allow her a phone call?" the pixie suggested.

"Or perhaps a text," the older woman said. She took Bella's phone and scrolled through it. After a few seconds, she tapped something then pocketed Bella's phone. "I sent a note, telling the last person you texted, 'My car broke down. Come get me.' The more the merrier," she said.

Who? Who else did they involve? Who was the last person she had texted? Her father or Angie? No, no, no…

They didn't leave. Bella sat with her feet hanging out, the passenger door open. The others waited, silently, not moving. After a moment, there was a musical tone alerting a new text. "Jessica," the woman said, seeming to guess what Bella was thinking. "Jessica just replied that she is coming, and when are you going to get rid of that heap of junk truck."

This would be her chance. She had to get away. Or at least try.

She leapt from the car and took off, running into the darkness.

Behind her, she heard a peal of musical laughter.

"She's on the move!" the man exclaimed.

"Spirit, this one," someone said.

Were they coming? Maybe they would follow her in the car. She would stay on the road where it was easier to see her footing until she heard the car coming. Then she could cut across the field and into the trees. She could always wait there until it was light. They couldn't be that far from the main road.

Xxx

Thank you for checking out my most recent posting, post-Halloween. (Mid-apocalypse?)

Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile, which is a good thing, because he's been having stare-downs with the local squirrels, and those guys are hungry.

I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers. And a certain blond gentleman will be making an appearance then…


	10. Halloween Card 3 - The Cabin

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing around, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

Halloween Card – Chapter 3 – The Cabin

 _Behind her, Bella heard a peal of musical laughter._

" _She's on the move!" the man exclaimed._

" _Spirit, this one," someone said._

 _Were they coming? Maybe they would follow her in the car. She would stay on the road where it was easier to see her footing until she heard the car coming. Then she could cut across the field and into the trees. She could always wait there until it was light. They couldn't be that far from the main road._

But shadows appeared on both sides of the road. Before she could turn to face them, the woman called Esme appeared directly in front of her in the center of the road, looking calm and collect. "Hello, dear," she said. "Lovely evening for a stroll."

Bella turned to her left and saw the tall guy standing next to her, his white track suit luminous in the dim light. He had been joined by someone new, a woman with blonde hair. Bella turned right and the pixie was standing six inches away, smiling with those terrifying teeth.

"You're not going to just give up, are you?" she asked Bella.

"No," Bella replied as she pulled back her fist and punched the girl in the face.

There was a sickening crack, and Bella shrieked with pain. Her hand felt like she had just struck a rock. She grabbed it, sobbing.

"Wow! Love it!" the guy exclaimed, clapping his hands and patting Bella on the shoulder. "I wanna keep this one, can we? Here, let me, it'll help your hand."

He peeled Bella's left hand from her bruising right hand and covered it with his. His touch was light, but his hand was cold and stony. The cold did help her hand's throbbing.

"Now, now, don't get attached," the woman said. "Let's get her back in the car." She turned to the new girl. "Do you want to wait her for her friend?"

The blonde girl nodded, and Bella was pushed back into the car. She dragged her hand across the outside before the door was closed, hoping maybe it was bleeding and she would leave a blood trail. There was no blood, but the guy leaned over and sniffed it deeply. "Yummy," he said.

Bella screamed. She slid out of the car and sat on the ground, clinging to the door, pushing her face into the cold metal. To her horror, the woman returned and simply picked her up, peeling her fingers from the door handle and setting her back inside the car, holding her in place while the big guy shut the door behind them.

"Man, you're fun," he said as he got into the driver's seat.

They took off, Bella looking out the back window, not knowing whether she wanted to see Jessica's car or not. Jess would probably wait a few minutes before setting out, telling the story of how Bella's car broke down to the other party goers. Bella could picture her friend arriving on the scene, ready to lecture Bella about her truck. Jess had been telling her to get rid of it for the past few months.

But that would be a good thing. Maybe a group would come with Jessica, and if the worst happened, a number of people at the party would know where Jessica had been headed. Having a blabbermouth for a friend might pay off.

The car turned a corner and the field where they had stopped disappeared from view.

All too soon, the car pulled up in front of a small building surrounded by trees. Bella couldn't see it clearly in this light, but assumed it must be a rental cabin. Her heart sank.

There were hundreds of these cabins, always surrounded by trees so they could be advertised as scenic in the brochures and on-line photos. It might take months for Charlie to track her to this one, assuming he ever did. But she had to trust that he would. They hadn't been in the car that long, so surely this would be one of the first that would be searched as it was close to Forks.

Unless, of course, it was an illegal building, one that had been erected without notifying the proper authorities to avoid taxes or building code requirements.

The car slid to a stop and Esme exited. She was at Bella's door before her own car door had even clicked closed.

"Come inside, you must want to rinse out your mouth. Maybe you're thirsty," Esme said.

The driver, now standing directly behind Esme, peering at her over Esme's shoulder, rubbed his hands and said, "Well, I'm thirsty. That's for sure." His eyes twinkled and a shiver went up Bella's spine.

Esme pulled her out of the car, her hand cold, her grip insistent but not painful. Bella's legs wobbled and she almost fell. The guy caught her before she hit the ground.

The woman opened the cabin door but paused on the threshold. "Your friend isn't very punctual," she commented. "She's making you wait in the middle of the night by your broken-down truck? Tsk, tsk."

Esme flicked on a light and the interior appeared. Bella was surprised. From the outside, the building looked like a run-down hunting cabin. The inside was plusher than she expected. The lights were dim but she could see it was clean, with nice furniture and curtains. The floor was covered with a spotless white rug, not what one would expect in a cabin in the woods.

The woman kept her hand in Bella's back, guiding and pushing her at the same time. Bella stumbled, weak from fear.

She jumped when she heard a low sound, like a growl. Did they have a large animal in the house? The thought that she might be food for their pet panther flashed through her head.

But it wasn't a big cat. The noise was coming from a blond man who appeared in a doorway, his shocking red eyes focused on Bella. He sank into a crouch, his arms stretched in front of him, as if prepared to spring.

"There'll be enough for everyone, we've invited one of her friends," the woman said.

"Jasper, what is it?" the girl with spiky hair asked.

With a roar, the man leapt and grabbed Bella, caging her in his arms. Startled by the speed of his movement, she froze then began screaming and shoving at his arms, kicking his legs and anything else she could reach. He pinned her arms against his chest and swept her up, holding her in front of him, making it harder to kick. But that didn't stop her from screaming, so she kept screaming.

The pixie backed away, lowering her head and averting her eyes. "Oh, I understand. Back away everyone, I'll explain later. Just back away."

The man's growl turned to a rumble in his chest, like a purr. He began to nuzzle Bella's face and neck, then let out a loud growl when he came to her mouth. His touch was reassuring somehow, despite it being cold.

"She got sick, but she's not hurt," Esme said.

The blond man touched Bella's hand, now swollen from punching the girl on the road, and Bella flinched. He put it to his mouth and licked it, purring. It felt strange, but oddly, her hand, though it stung slightly, felt better after he touched it with his tongue.

But it was all too much. Bella's fear overwhelmed her and she collapsed and let go, relaxing against his arms, her last impressions being strange growling sounds and the feel of a rumbling coming from his chest.

When Bella woke up, she found herself in bed, lying against something cold. She tried to sit up but she was pinned by something hard and stony. It was an arm. She turned and saw a man lying next to her, his eyes staring at her. His red eyes.

It was the blond man from last night, the one who had crouched and leapt at her. Last night, he had been dressed. Now, his chest was bare. Looking down, she realized so was hers. She covered herself automatically and slipped out from under his arm.

Cold fingers lifted her chin so she was staring into the bright red eyes again.

She gulped. What to do? She did a quick assessment. Her hand was sore, and she felt like her breath stank, but nothing else hurt.

She reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes. The red eyes across from her never blinked, never left her face.

"Um, good-morning?" she said.

"Good-morning," he said, his voice soft, touched with a drawl that made her flush to her toes.

A smile crept across his face and he lifted her injured hand to his mouth and kissed it. He stroked it as he asked, "How's your hand?"

"Um, not too bad," she said. Why was he asking about her hand? Wasn't he going to kill her? They were both naked in bed, so he was probably going to do something much worse first.

A frown flashed across his face. "What's wrong? Why are you afraid? You don't need to be afraid of me. I won't let them touch you."

"Thank you," she said. After a moment she added, "I really need to go to the bathroom." It was true.

He nodded and she sat up, pulling the sheet around her. She didn't see her clothes, so she started tugging at the sheet. He watched her, an amused smile playing across his face. The sheet wasn't coming off the bed because he was lying on it.

She started working on the top sheet and it slowly slid her way. He grabbed an edge playfully but let it go after a few seconds.

When she finally had the sheet, she wrapped it around herself and went to the bathroom. She stared in the mirror before using the facilities. After, she brushed her teeth with her fingers and used the washcloth for a quick spit bath. How long before they forced her to come out?

Bella opened the drawers and cabinets, looking for something she could use as a weapon. A curling iron would work. It could leave a burn, and if she hit them in the face with it, that could be worth considering.

The drawers and medicine cabinet were nearly empty, holding only a small black plastic comb, a nearly- dried, rolled up tube of Crest, and a bar of Dial soap. Not even cleaning products. There was scented soap dispenser in the shower, but that was about it.

Now that she thought about it, the group last night had looked like models for magazines. That meant make-up, hair gel, hair dryers…all those tools of the fashion trade, things that Jessica kept in her bathroom. They had to have that stuff somewhere.

A pang. Jessica. What had happened to Jessica?

There was nothing in here. She could stay in here to until they dragged her out, or go see about Jessica. Assuming she was out there.

There was a knock on the door. "Just finishing up," she said.

Tucking her sheet around body like a toga, squaring her shoulders and thinking, this is for Jessica, Bella opened the bathroom door.

The blond man was standing there waiting for her, still stark naked. She gasped. Was this it, were they going to kill her now?

He put out his hand, touching her reassuringly on her arm. "What is it?"

She blushed, trying to look anywhere but below his shoulders.

Xxx

Thanks for checking out my story. Please leave a review. They make my pumpkin smile. He doesn't know that Thanksgiving is coming, and that means pumpkin pie….bwah-ha-ha!

So…would you gasp?


	11. Halloween Card 4 - Sleep

It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course!

October. Cooling air, colorful leaves blowing around, and the sound of bare branches scratching against windows in the night…

I love this time of year. So here we go, Halloween! Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I like to play in the world she's created.

Halloween Card – Chapter 4 - Sleep

 _Tucking her sheet around body like a toga, squaring her shoulders and thinking, this is for Jessica, Bella opened the bathroom door._

 _The blond man was standing there waiting for her, still stark naked. She gasped. Was this it, were they going to kill her now?_

 _He put out his hand, touching her reassuringly on her arm. "What is it?"_

 _She blushed, trying to look anywhere but below his shoulders_

"Where are my clothes?" Bella asked.

"Oh, clothes." He looked around, picked them up from the floor and brought them to her. He leaned against the bathroom door, so she dressed under the sheet, thankful for those Girl Scout camping trips where she had learned to change clothes in a sleeping bag.

Meanwhile, he didn't put on anything.

Once she was dressed, she smiled nervously as she looked around the room. Her stomach growled.

He moved from the bathroom door, touching her stomach casually, giving an answering growling of his own. "Hungry?" he asked.

"Yes." Eat something, keep up your strength. If, that is, they give you food.

He pushed her gently into a sitting position on the bed. "Wait here." He was gone, through the door in a flash, though he closed it gently behind him. She got up and went to the window. When she opened the curtains, she saw wooden shutters. She pushed on them, but they didn't budge. They must have wooden slats that slid in place on the outside, allowing the cabin to be closed for the winter from the outside.

She heard a low murmur from the living room then silence. She quickly sat back down on the bed, just before he reentered the room. "We'll wait," sitting next to her and patting her leg reassuringly.

"What's your name?" she asked. Maybe this would give a clue to their intent. Would they tell her? Or if they were going to kill her, why wouldn't they? Would he tell her the truth?

"Jasper," he said softly, reaching over to stroke her chin. "And you're Bella?"

She nodded.

"It's lovely," he said. "It means beautiful in Italian or one of those languages."

Bella smiled. Keep him talking, make a connection. "It's short for Isabella," she said.

There was a tap at the door. "Just a moment," Jasper said and opened it. Someone handed through a small item and a bottle of water. From the size of the hand, she thought it was Emmett.

She stood up. Jasper handed her a granola bar. She recognized it as the brand Jessica's mother bought. They would have been in Jessica's car. Her knees felt weak, and she sat down on the bed for support.

Jasper crawled behind her and lay next to her on the bed, turned on his side, stroking her side. It felt so wrong, yet something felt right. She should be filled with fear, but she was feeling something very different. Like lying down next to him. It would be so easy.

Jessica. Focus. What had happened to Jessica?

After she finished eating her bar and drinking the water, she turned to him. He took her hand and started to pull her toward him. She leaned forward and smiled, then stopped. How to do this? Look compliant until you got the answers, even if they weren't what she wanted?

"Jessica?" she asked.

"Who?" he said, looking surprised, reaching up and pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

She felt herself melting beneath his touch. What was wrong with her? Stay strong. For Jessica.

"My friend. They sent a text to my friend last night."

His hand stopped moving, though he didn't pull it back. Part of her wanted to say, "Keep going." The other part needed to know.

"Do you want to know?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, feeling her stomach drop, then immediately felt herself longing for his body in ways she had never felt with a strength and depth that made the separation of their bodies feel completely wrong.

"Yes, tell me," she said.

"You're strong," Jasper said. "Emmett told me you were strong."

There was a familiar laugh from the next room.

Jasper stared into her eyes. The blood red color lost its scariness and Bella leaned forward. She put her hand on his chest to stop herself.

"Jessica," she said, her words barely able to leave her mouth.

He understood. "All right," he said.

He stood up, not bothering to put any clothes on, and walked her to the next room.

The group from last night sat in the living room. In the light, they looked posed, unnatural. They had been joined by two new people. The brunette, Esme, was standing with a taller blond man. The demon pixie was sitting next to a boy with copper-colored hair. They appeared ready for a magazine shoot, immaculately dressed and made-up.

"Jessica," Jasper said.

"Jasper, are you sure?" the tall blond man asked.

"Yes, Carlisle," he said. "She asked."

"In the car," Carlisle answered simply. Jasper's nudity didn't seem to affect anyone in the room.

Jasper took Bella's hand and led her outside. Bella's heart thudded in her chest, and she felt drained and terrified. Her legs turned to jello, but she walked. She had to know.

Jessica's Acura was behind the cabin.

Jasper opened the door, slid into the driver's seat and fiddled around the dashboard, feeling for the trunk lever. He popped it and got out of the car to stand next to her. "You're sure?' he asked again.

Bella couldn't produce any words. The tears that had started when the man said, "In the car," began to fall.

He stood next to the trunk, one hand on her shoulder. He looked at her again, and she nodded.

He opened the trunk, his hand slipping from her shoulder to around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

In the trunk, Jessica and a boy she didn't recognize wearing a Batman costume were curled up together, spooning. Jessica's eyes and mouth were open, a look of terror on her face. Her neck and blouse were bloody.

Bella staggered back, putting her hands to her mouth, screaming.

Jasper swung her up into his arms, taking her back inside. She closed her eyes, pushing back against the relaxing feeling, screaming, "No," gasping between screams, tears running down the sides of her face.

She pushed at him. He wasn't going to do that to her, she was sure, though she couldn't say how. She couldn't even think about what he wanted from her instead.

"Shh," he was saying to her. "Shh, it's OK," he said.

"No," she said, repeating, pushing at him, and pushing at the feelings that were coming at her and from inside her, drawing her to him.

"No," she said again, more emphatically.

He stepped back. "And can you put on some clothes?" she asked.

He laughed. "Is that really what you want?"

"Yes, no, maybe. But I can't talk to you like this," she said, turning her head.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know this isn't easy, but I've been waiting for you so long." They went back inside, past the group that had barely moved, and back into that bedroom, where he disappeared into the bathroom.

He was back in a second, wearing jeans. Still barefoot, but she appreciated the effort. At least she could look at him now. And admire the view. She felt herself flush.

Jasper picked up the green foil wrapper from the granola bar she had choked down. "Crunchy Oatmeal Honey," he said. "How's it taste?" He sniffed at the wrapper and made a face.

"They're OK," she said. "What do you eat for breakfast?"

He sat across from her and his face went blank. Then he caught his eyes with hers. "What do you think, darling?"

She gasped. They had been having almost normal interactions, and here he was, taking it somewhere else.

"I don't know," she said.

"I think you do. It shows in my eyes," he said.

He took her hand softly, nuzzling it, pulling her closer to him.

She felt herself go limp. He had just been toying with her. She believed him though.

"What's going on in there?" he asked, touching the side of her head lightly, stoking her.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked.

He looked at her sadly.

"You're going to kill me, right?" she choked out.

Before he could answer, she said, "Just make it quick, and don't let those people out there in on it, please?"

"They won't come anywhere near you," he said. Somehow that sounded reassuring.

He pulled her close, taking her arms in his hands so she wouldn't fight. She gasped and started to cry.

"Shh, shh. Lean back," he said. "It's going to hurt, but later. It has to hurt but the pain will go away."

Tears ran down her face and she gulped, trying to get air. She felt a wave of peace rolling over her. He pulled her against his chest. A low rumble built from his chest, like a purr. He turned her so his face was against his chest while he stroked her back. Somehow, it was comforting.

"You see, my kind, our kind, we have mates," he said, stroking her back in circles, massaging away the tension. "That's why, despite your fear, you feel something with me. I know it's terrifying, but it will be OK. Soon."

"What?" she said.

He ran his hands down her arms, touching her, then wrapped his arms across her middle, nuzzling against her neck.

"You'll see," he said. "You'll still be you, but you'll be with me. Like me," he said.

"I'll do things like you did to Jessica?" she asked.

"I'm sorry about your friend," Jasper said. "We'll go away, where you won't know anybody. It's hard at first, but gets easier. Actually, it's not so hard at first. But you'll find out."

She sobbed. "I want to talk to my dad."

A noise came from the next room.

"You can send him a text. Tell him something, whatever you want. Let him know you're happy." He kissed her neck. "Because you will be, I promise."

She sat, trying to think of what to say. He sat next to her, touching her back, her shoulder. "Don't take too long," he said. "Maybe you shouldn't. What can you say?"

She typed in, "Dad, I love you. So much."

"That's enough, really it is," he said. "But take your time to think about it."

"I'm sending the same message to my Mom," she said, typing quickly, wiping tears from her face with her sleeve.

When she was done, he took the phone. She heard a ping and reached for the phone. He held it up, out of her reach. "It's a reply from Charlie," he said. "You can read it in a little while. Sleep, now."

Bella had no wish to sleep. She knew they were about to do something to her, something terrible, and she was longing to know what her father had said. "Please," she pleaded, reaching for the phone.

"Sleep," he whispered, touching her shoulder. "You can read this later."

Suddenly, she was exhausted, really tired. She felt her eyes dropping. "Lay down, sleep," he said softly. "Sleep is one of humanity's greatest gifts. Enjoy it. Just sleep."

She did. He started humming something, a tune that she didn't recognize. He lay down behind her, pulling her close, spooning. She flinched at his touch, as it made her think of Jessica and her brave friend who lost his life coming to Bella's rescue. New plan. She would pretend to sleep. The phone was still in the room, and when Jasper fell asleep, she would get it and call her Dad. Wait. That whole group might still in the next room. She would send Charlie a text, telling him she was in a cabin…

"Shh, sleep," he said. "It's a luxury not allowed to our kind. Sleep, one last time."

Bella slipped off under Jasper's ministrations, feeling her body relax and blackness surround her, welcoming her. So tired. Not sure if she would ever awaken but unable to fight any longer.

A few hours later, she barely felt the nip, but quickly felt the fire that spread through her, burning and scalding away her immortality.

THE END

xxx

So, the end! That's the end of the Halloween stories for this year. Hope you have enjoyed them. Thanks for reading.

Please leave a review. Reviews make my pumpkin smile. It needs to smile, thinking about Thanksgiving coming next week, and our insatiable need for pumpkin pie…and pumpkin bars…and pumpkin latte…all things pumpkin…


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